The Crannógs of Ireland

A Crannog refers to small man-made islands which were created throughout the lakes of Ireland and parts of Western Scotland, and inhabited by people as recently as the 17th Century. These islands represent some of the oldest dwellings in prehistoric Ireland, with some dating as far back as 4,000BC.

The Crannógs were often fortified and may have been constructed on wooden poles which were inserted into the lakes bed, although there is no evidence left which can back-up this theory and speculation remains rife about how these islands were actually made.

Copyright/Rossographer

Origin of the Word

The word Crannóg first appeared in 13th Century Irish documents and can be translated in two parts. The first part ‘Crann’ means tree and the second part ‘óg’ means young, leading to a couple of different interpretations of what it might mean. One interpretation is that ‘young trees’ refers to the appearance of these islands after they were abandoned, as they began to grow foliage. A separate interpretation could be the construction method used in creating the Crannógs, using piled up tree trunks to create an island.

Appearance

Crannógs are generally round or oval in shape and can hugely vary in size. They would have contained one or several huts, depending on size, and could accommodate a community of people. The Crannóg would be made accessible by a causeway from the mainland and would be protected by a fence and gate house.

It is likely that these man-made islands took a significant amount of time to construct considering they were built at a time when only the most basic tools were available to mankind. It is also likely that construction of a Crannóg involved the participation of a whole tribe or family.

flickr/Phil Hollman

Why Build Crannógs?

This question still puzzles many archaeologists, although there have been some very convincing theories put forward. One theory suggests that Crannógs offered protection from unfriendly neighbouring tribes and wild animals.

Another suggests that Ireland was a densely wooded area at the time Crannógs were being built and the people of the time moved out onto the lakes as it was the only place they could see the sky. It is also possible that lakes has a significance to the culture of the people, perhaps religiously.

Discover Crannógs

Ireland is the best place to find Crannógs, with Co. Cavan the area most densely populated with these islands. If you wish to see how a Crannóg may have looked when it was functioning, there are reconstructed Crannógs at Craggaunowen Castle near Quin, Co. Clare and at Castle Espie, Co. Down.